


Five times that someone gave Billy the shovel talk

by Thei



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: (although kind of a secret up until the very start of this fic), 5+1 Things, Drunk Billy Hargrove, Established Relationship, Light Angst, M/M, Shovel Talk, a lot of people care about Steve, good boyfriends, hairspray boyfriends, so Billy receives a lot of shovel talks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-26
Updated: 2020-08-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 22:28:58
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26126506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thei/pseuds/Thei
Summary: ... and the one time when Billy had to do it himself.
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington
Comments: 85
Kudos: 338





	1. Dustin

**Author's Note:**

  * For [peterqpan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/peterqpan/gifts).



“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. I can’t believe you were trying to _hide_ this from me!”

Honestly, they should have known it wouldn’t last. For months now, they had been sneaking around without anyone suspecting that they were anything but adversaries. Now, though, a red-faced Dustin was standing in front of them in Steve’s kitchen, pointing an accusing finger at Billy while focusing all his attention on Steve.

“I can’t believe that out of _everyone_ you could have hooked up with, you chose _him_!”

“Hey”, was Billy’s half-hearted reply, which went as ignored as everything else he had said so far.

“Dustin …” Steve tried again, holding his hands out as if trying to calm a wild animal.

“Don’t you ‘Dustin’ me, Steve! You’ve been fraternizing with the enemy!”

“ _Hey!_ ”

“And you!” Dustin finally whirled around and glared at Billy, who in his surprise actually took a step back. “I don’t know what Steve sees in you, but you should know that I know a _lot_ of scary people, and if you _ever_ hurt him – _again_ , I might add – they’ll never find your body. Do you understand?”

Steve made a face as if he was torn between wanting to roll his eyes or getting between his boyfriend and his pseudo-brother. Billy, on the other hand, looked like he was trying hard not to laugh. He nodded, eyes bright. “I understand. Yeah. Totally.”

Dustin narrowed his eyes, visibly trying to figure out if he was being mocked or not, but seemed to decide not to comment further. He turned, but when Steve reached out for him he shrugged the hand off and huffed, throwing up a hand of his own while backing away. “I’m taking this up with the Party. Expect to be summoned.”

At that, Billy _did_ laugh, causing Dustin to glare at him and then turn to Steve with an almost pleading look on his face. “Why’d it have to be _Billy_ , Steve?” A beat, and then a crestfallen, “And why didn’t you _tell_ me?”

Steve opened his mouth to answer, but Dustin took a deep breath and puffed out his chest, as if steeling himself. “No. Save it. I don’t wanna talk to you right now.” And with that, he marched out of the kitchen, stomped down the hallway, and slammed the door shut behind him on the way out.

Which left Billy and Steve alone in the kitchen. For a second, none of them spoke. Then Billy leaned back against the counter, giving a one-shouldered shrug.

“I don’t know about you, but I think that went pretty well.”

Steve groaned and hid his face in his hands. Billy nodded and continued, sounding _way_ too earnest to be sincere. “No, no, I can totally see why you wanted to tell them. This was definitely the right thing to do. I’m _glad_ he found out.”

“Shut up.”

Billy smiled, just a tad too widely, and gestured at the door. “Judging by Henderson’s reaction just now, I’m sure they’ll all be _thrilled_ when he tells them.”

“Billy. Please. Shut up.” Billy’s grin fell away and Steve leaned against the counter next to him, still hiding his face. “He hates me.”

Billy shook his head, and a soft smile took the place of his grin. “No, babe. He hates _me_. I don’t know if you caught all of that or if you were too busy freaking out because he saw us kissing, but that right there? That was a _shovel talk_. A shovel talk that Henderson gave to me, because he hates me and he _loves you_.”

Steve peeked out between his fingers. “You think so?”

Billy’s smile widened, and he gently bumped Steve with his shoulder. “I _know_ so.” He stuck his tongue out between his teeth and raised his eyebrows. “The little shit actually had the balls to stand there and threaten me, didn’t you hear that?” He indicated himself with his thumbs. “I’m a scary dude, Harrington. And he gave _me_ the shovel talk. Believe me, the little dweeb loves you a lot.”

Steve huffed out a laugh. “… thanks.”

They bumped shoulders again, and then Billy leaned in. “So do I, you know.”

And with that, they resumed what they’d been doing when Dustin interrupted them.


	2. Robin

Robin was the second one to confront them about their relationship – because once Dustin left after finding out, Steve had made some hasty calls to make sure he got to break the news to his closest friends before Dustin opened his mouth – although she went about it in a different way.

“Heard you two were bumping uglies”, she said as Steve opened the door to let her in for their weekly movie night. She nodded at Billy, who was just walking past with a bowl of popcorn. “That actually explains _so much_.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Buckley”, Billy said and yanked the bowl out of her reach when she went to grab a handful. Steve took the bowl from him, and offered it to Robin in silent apology. Her face softened.

“I’m talking about how I, out of everyone, should have seen the gay yearning through the veils of violence and animosity.”

“You and your big words”, Steve said, but there was something unsure in his voice that made Robin look up at him. She let out a laugh.

“You and your small mind”, she countered, pinching his cheek. “I don’t _mind_ , dingus. I just question your taste. _Both_ of your tastes, actually.” Steve’s answering smile was like the sun, at least until Robin patted him on the newly-pinched cheek and said, “But now, you’ll have to leave me and Billy alone for a while. He and I have a few things to discuss.”

“What?” Steve said, eyebrows raised. Billy looked heavenwards for a second, but then he licked his lips and nodded.

“We need drinks anyway”, he said and nodded towards the kitchen. “Why don’t you go and get them? Buckley and I will set up in here.” He added, when Steve still hesitated, “It’s okay.”

So Steve left them. They both looked after him until they heard him bang against something in the kitchen, and then they turned to face each other. They mirrored each other’s posture, with their arms crossed over their chests.

Billy was the first to speak. “Is it?”

Robin turned her head sideways, like a confused puppy. “What? Is it _what_?”

“Is it _okay_? Really?” His voice was flat and disbelieving, his posture defensive. Robin huffed out a breath.

“Oh please, Hargrove. I don’t care that you both have dicks.” Her crude words startled a laugh out of Billy, which she ignored. “But I do care about Steve.” Billy’s smile lessened, and she reached out and put a finger to his chest. He looked down at it, and then up at her, slowly, raising his eyebrows in disbelief at her audacity.

She wasn’t deterred. “I care about Steve _a lot_. HHHe’s my friend, and he’s too forgiving for his own good.”

Billy shifted from one foot to the other, but didn’t swat her hand away. “Agreed.”

She looked the tiniest bit surprised at this, but continued. “I’ve heard what happened between the two of you last year. I know what you did.” She paused, as if waiting for a reaction, and when Billy only clenched his jaw, she gave a little nod. “And I don’t think you’d do it again.”

It was Billy’s turn to look surprised. “What?”

“I don’t. I’ve seen you guys’ posturing for months now, and frankly it’s ridiculous. But I don’t think you’ll hurt him.” She threw up her hands, pointing at him with finger guns. “I like you, Hargrove. You’re cool to hang around, and you’re not the badass you’re trying to make people think you are.”

He frowned, evidently not sure if that had been a compliment or an insult, but froze when she put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed a little.

“That being said”, she continued, with a hint of steel in her voice. “If he gets hurt, _you_ get hurt.” She looked him in the eye. “And I mean more than _the usual_. I’ve seen the bruises you keep showing up with. Now, consider that I’ve been tortured by Russians. I learned a thing or two. And I’ll make you _wish_ for only bruises, if Steve gets hurt. You get me?”

Billy’s face had shut down at the mention of the bruises, but at the last part, he gave a little nod, barely a twitch of his head. She gave his shoulder a little pat. “I know you care about him.” He relaxed at her words, if only just a fraction. “I do, too.”

He cleared his throat. “I know.” And then he wet his lips. “Which is the only reason why I didn’t break your finger just now.”

She actually laughed at this. “Sure it is, big boy. Whatever you need to tell yourself to sleep at night.”

Just then, Steve walked into the room, holding an actual tray with three mismatched mugs on it. “Did you guys decide on a movie …?” He looked between the two of them, standing too close together. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah!” Robin said brightly and glanced at Billy.

Billy gave a little nod, too. “We’re okay.”


	3. The Party

A week or so later, they were pulling up in Steve’s car in front of the Byers’ house, for Joyce’s bimonthly dinner – to which Steve had been instructed to bring Billy, this time. Billy was struggling to get out of the car without dropping the store-bought pie and the bouquet of flowers they’d brought, and he was chewing nervously on his bottom lip.

“This doesn’t change the fact that they’re gonna hate me, you know.”

Steve shook his head as he got out of the car. “They’re not gonna hate you.”

“You’re right”, Billy said and adjusted his grip on the gifts. “Present tense – they _do_ hate me, _already_.”

“They don’t hate you”, Steve said, rolling his eyes. “They just –“

Whatever he was going to say was interrupted by the door to the house banging open, and the kids walking out on the porch, standing shoulder to shoulder in a united front; Mike looking annoyed as always, Lucas looking grim, Will looking neutral and a little unsure, Dustin raising his chin in defiance, and Max standing off to the side with her arms crossed over her chest. Mike was the one who spoke.

“Emergency party meeting, _right now_.”

Billy let out a barely-audible sigh and glanced over at Steve. “You were saying?”

Steve ignored him. “What’s this about, guys?”

“This is an intervention”, Lucas said, before Mike smacked him on the arm.

“No it’s not”, Mike interrupted, ignoring the way Lucas glared at him. “It’s just, it has come to the Party’s attention that you’ve become _involved_ with Hargrove –“

Steve groaned and facepalmed. “Really, guys? Right now? We came here for _dinner_ , not the third degree.”

Mike spoke over him, though. “– and there are some things we need to discuss with him before we let him in.” He then gave Billy a dirty look and set his jaw, probably aiming for threatening but not managing anything worse than petulant.

“Let him in …?” Steve said, rubbing two fingers across his forehead and frowning like he was getting a headache. “Like, let him into the _Party_ , or into the house?”

“The house, _duh_ ”, Lucas said.

“We don’t just let _anyone_ into the Party, Steve”, Dustin added.

Steve sighed. Deeply. “Guys …”

“No, no”, Billy said, quite suddenly, shoving the pie and the flowers into Steve’s arms. “I kinda wanna hear this. Go on ahead, I’ll catch up.”

So Steve went inside by himself while Billy squared his shoulders and faced the younger teens. Joyce met Steve by the door and gushed over the pie and the flowers (“They’re from both me and Billy, actually, he got ambushed by the geek squad on the way in, but thanks for having us”), and made him help her get a vase down from a cupboard she couldn’t reach while she fussed over something on the stove that smelled amazing.

When a couple of minutes had passed, Steve gestured with his thumb over his shoulder. “I better go make sure everything’s okay out there.”

Joyce nodded, somewhat distractedly. “Yes, do that. And tell everyone to come inside, dinner is almost ready so we might as well eat while it’s warm! Jon and Nancy said they’d come by later, and Hopper called to say that he and El got held up at the station, so it’s just us for now.”

When Steve stepped outside, he didn’t have to look around for the others. The kids had Billy crowded up against the car, and while he was leaning back against it, seemingly as if he didn’t have a care in the world, his face was closed off and his shoulders were tense. Steve walked up to them just in time to hear Dustin say:

“– so we’re giving you a two week trial period.”

“But you’ll prove us right sooner than that, probably”, Mike chimed in, and Billy’s eyes flashed.

Dustin sent Mike an annoyed glare and continued, all official-sounding. “Billy Hargrove, consider yourself on probation.”

“Hey, what?” Steve interrupted, and they all turned to look at him. Billy looked away for a second, swallowing. “What’s this talk about probation?”

Lucas was quick to explain. “Well, the Party has decided that, considering what happened the last time he was here, Bi- um, Hargrove is to be put on a probation period of two weeks.”

Dustin spoke up before Steve could ask. “Meaning that we’ll keep a close eye on his behavior, and also that you – as an honorary member of the Party, and also the _injured_ party – shouldn’t be alone with him during this time.”

“Shouldn’t be al–“ Steve spluttered. “Are you kidding me? He’s my _boyfriend_!”

“He’s on _probation_!” Mike hissed.

“Hey!” Billy said, sharply, and drew everyone’s attention back at him. “It’s whatever, okay?” He shrugged, but he was working his jaw and clenching his fists by his side. “I believe we were promised dinner?”

And with that, he shouldered past the kids and grabbed Steve’s elbow as he passed him, pulling him along with him up to the house.

“You okay?” Steve asked under his breath, glancing back at the kids who were still standing by his car, heads close together as if they were in the middle of a deep discussion. Only Max looked up after them, a wrinkle between her eyebrows.

“Yeah”, Billy answered, shortly. “Peachy.”

“What was all that about then?” Steve asked, gesturing behind him.

“Oh, nothing much”, Billy said as he stepped up on the porch. “They just wanted to let me know how unworthy I am of your forgiveness, how sure they are that I’m gonna mess this up, and what they’ll do to me if I ever hurt you. _Again_.”

Steve stopped in his tracks. “ _What?_ ”

“Some of their suggestions were actually very creative”, Billy continued, voice entirely too casual. “And graphic. I’m impressed.”

Steve reached out and touched his arm lightly. Billy stepped back, and mustered up a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “It’s okay, pretty boy. It’s just another shovel talk.” When Steve took a step closer, concern written all over his face, Billy’s smile melted into something more genuine. “Don’t worry. They’re kids. I’m just gonna have to prove them wrong.”

That made Steve smile, and he leaned in for a quick kiss. A collective gasp coming from behind them stopped him. They both glanced back at the kids, who were watching them from the car with various amounts of outrage on their faces. Steve sighed. “This is going to be a long couple of weeks …”

That got an amused snort from Billy, who then resolutely turned his back on the kids and reached for the door.

“You think?”


	4. Nancy

One shovel talk that night wasn’t enough, it seemed. The next time happened little more than an hour later. Nancy and Jonathan had showed up just in time to join the rest of them for dinner, and Nancy had spent most of the meal throwing sidelong glances at Billy and Steve, where they were seated next to each other at the other end of the table. After dessert (the pie that Billy and Steve brought), when the kids had roped Steve into playing a round of some kind of complicated board game, Nancy approached Billy and quietly asked if she could talk to him.

Billy raised his eyebrows in surprise, but gestured in a ‘go ahead’-motion. “Sure.”

She pursed her lips and frowned. “I mean, alone.”

One of the kids threw a piece of bread at Steve’s head, and while he was busy complaining about it, Nancy motioned at the hallway with a tilt of her head. Billy sighed and rolled his eyes, but swung his arm around in an exaggerated gesture. “After you.”

They ended up in Jonathan’s room, and Nancy closed the door behind them. As soon as they were alone, her whole demeanor changed. Gone was the timid girl who held herself as if she wanted to take up as little space as possible. In her place was a fierce young woman with her face scrunched up as if she smelled something foul.

“Listen, Hargrove, we don’t exactly like each other.”

Billy took a step back and propped his hip up against the desk, unmindful of the papers that were strewn about there. “U-huh.” He watched her through narrowed eyes and crossed his arms across his chest. She wasn’t intimidated by this, though – in fact, she walked right up to him. With him sitting on the desk, they were about the same height.

“You and Steve … it doesn’t make sense.” He snorted at that, but she continued as if she hadn’t heard him. “He’s good, and kind, and brave, and … and you don’t deserve him.”

Billy couldn’t quite hide a flinch at that, but recovered quickly. “Oh, and you did? You cheated on him with Byers and left him in pieces.”

She puffed up at that. “I still care about him!”

“What, and you think I _don’t_?”

“Honestly, I don’t think you’re capable of caring about anyone but yourself.” He opened his mouth but she didn’t let him speak. “Listen, when Steve falls for someone, he gives his _all_.” She furrowed her brow in concern. “If you’re just messing with him, you should know that you can really _hurt_ him.”

He huffed out a laugh that sounded anything but amused. “Look who’s talking!”

Her face turned sour, but she continued. “He deserves better than that. He deserves better than you.” Billy opened his mouth, but she once again spoke over him before he had the chance to interrupt. “And yes, he deserves better than me too. That’s exactly my point. He deserves _better_.”

For a second, they just glared at each other.

“That’s it?” Billy finally asked, raising one eyebrow skeptically. “No threats? No ‘If you hurt him, I’ll kill you’?”

“You have _already_ hurt him”, Nancy replied, and watched as Billy looked away briefly and swallowed hard. “But now that you mention it, you should know that I own a gun.”

He looked up sharply at that. She stared him dead in the eye. “And I know how to use it. Not only that, but I _will_ use it, _on you_ , if you even _think_ about hurting Steve again. He’s been through a lot, and he doesn’t … He deserves better. Than the _both_ of us, but he _definitely_ deserves better than you. Because you are rude, and violent, and untrustworthy, and a coward.”

He stood up sharply at that, towering over her, nostrils flaring. She didn’t move, just looked up at him, face set in stone. “If you really cared about him, you’d leave him alone.”

She looked him in the eye for a couple of tense seconds, as if to make sure her words hit home, before turning on her heel and walking out of the room. Billy stood frozen until the door shut behind her, and then he stumbled back, sitting back down on the desk, hard. He breathed out a sharp breath, and pressed the heel of his palms into his eyes. His hand were shaking.

“Shit.”

It couldn’t have been more than a minute until the door opened again, and Steve walked in. “Billy?”

Billy straightened up and cleared his throat. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll be right out. How’s the game going?”

“I’m losing, of course. I’m up against pros. What are you doing in here?” Steve looked a little concerned.

Billy bit his lip, then shrugged. “It just got a bit too much, is all.” He motioned to the door, and the hallway and the living room full of people beyond it.

Steve was quick to step up to him. “Are you okay? Do you want to leave? We can leave.”

That caused Billy to smile, albeit a bit crookedly. “No, I’m fine. Just needed a breather. Besides, had to check out Byers’ music collection.” He pointed at a bunch of tapes and records in a rack in the corner of the room. “I have to say, it’s not very impressive.”

Steve leveled him with a Look. “You mean, you couldn’t find any Metallica.”

Billy pushed off the desk and pressed a quick kiss to the corner of Steve’s mouth. “You know me so well. Come on, time to face the disapproval again.” Steve pulled him close and chuckled into his shoulder.


	5. Hopper

They went back out into the living room and hung around for a little while longer. Joyce made coffee for the older teens, and the kids got lemonade – Lucas insisted on coffee too, and grimaced for fifteen minutes while he worked his way through the cup. At around ten past eight, they could hear a car pull up outside the house, and Mike shot up out of the couch.

“It’s El!” he said and ran to the door.

Joyce smiled and stood up too, making her way into the kitchen to “warm up a couple of plates”.

Mike came back in with El in tow, both of them smiling. A more grumpy-looking Hopper followed, shrugging off his jacket and throwing it over the back of a chair that was already laden with other jackets.

“Sorry we’re late!” he called into the kitchen.

Joyce just waved at him dismissively while she bent down to put some leftovers in the oven. “Don’t worry about it! I’ll just heat this up for the two of you, give it ten minutes.”

Steve left Billy in his chair by the table to greet Hopper by the door. He made to shake the older man’s hand, but then pulled back and made a face, while scratching awkwardly at the back of his neck. “So, uhm. I don’t know if you heard, but …”

“About you and, uh, Hargrove?” Hopper said, nodding to the table where Billy sat. “Yeah. Uh. Joyce told me.” He was looking almost as awkward as Steve.

“Oh. So …?” Steve trailed off, biting his lip.

“Oh! Uh. I mean, if he treats you right, I guess it’s … really none of my business?”

Steve’s face split in a relieved grin, and he breathed out a sigh of relief. “He does. Thanks, Hop!” And with that, he bounded back to the table, from where Billy had been watching them warily. He looked away when Hopper met his eyes.

Hopper nodded once to himself, as if he’d made a decision, and then cleared his throat and called out to Joyce. “Hey, Joyce, I’m just gonna head out for a smoke before … uh, before dinner.” He smacked his lips and took a deep breath. “Hargrove, wanna join me?”

Billy startled at the mention of his name, but after Steve leaned in and said something low enough that only Billy could hear it and gave an encouraging nod, he stood up and reluctantly made his way over to the Chief. Hopper held the door open for him, and Billy walked through it with the air of a man being led to his execution.

When they got out on the porch, neither one of them spoke. Hopper dug through his pockets for a pack of cigarettes, which he wordlessly held out to Billy. Billy took one, and then retreated, putting some distance between them. Hopper busied himself with lighting his own cigarette, but didn’t offer Billy the lighter when he saw that Billy was fiddling with his own.

“So”, Hopper eventually said, after having taken a drag. “You and Harrington.”

Billy straightened his back and licked his lips. “Yep. Me and Harrington.” He sounded defensive, which made Hopper look at him more closely.

“Look, Steve’s a good kid and I’d hate to see him get hurt –“

“Jesus Christ!” Billy interrupted him with a loud groan and turned his head to the sky. “Are you _kidding me_?”

Hopper scowled and drew himself up, raising a meaty finger. “Hey!” Billy took a small step back. “I don’t appreciate your tone. This is serious.”

“Yeah”, Billy deadpanned. “Serious.”

“As I was saying, he’s a good kid and he –“

“– deserves better than me. I get it.”

“Don’t –!” Hopper said harshly, pointing at Billy, who froze in place. He took a deep breath. “Don’t put words in my mouth.”

“Yes sir”, Billy said between his teeth. “Sorry sir.” He looked down at his feet, and kept his hands at his sides, shoulders tense.

Hopper sighed deeply. “Dial down the sarcasm, kid, okay? Look, I just … I’m just looking out for him, alright? He’s been through a lot. So when I hear that he’s getting involved with _you_ … And considering the kind of reputation you’ve got … Well, you can understand my concern, right?”

“Yes sir.” Billy took a deep breath of his own and seemed to steel himself before raising his gaze to look Hopper in the eye. “And if I hurt him again, you’ll hurt _me_. You have a gun, and you’re not afraid to use it. You know this town inside and out, and know where to hide my body so no one will ever find it. _I know_.”

Hopper took a step forward, eyes narrowing. “Don’t get smart with me, kid –“

Billy flinched back, and retreated a couple of steps to cover it up. Hopper stopped in his tracks as Billy let out a brittle laugh. “Heard it before, is all, _sir_.” He dropped the cigarette and ground it into the gravel with the heel of his shoe, and then he put his hands in his jean pockets and started walking away, past the parked cars.

“Hey!” Hopper called out after him. “Where are you going?”

“For a walk.”

Running a hand over his face, Hopper shook his head and looked heavenwards. He sighed. “Yeah. Okay, why don’t you do that. Cool off a bit.” He sighed, and then added, muttering, “Wow. That went well. ”

He finished his own cigarette and went inside, glaring at Mike – who was sitting way too close to El on the couch – until he moved back a bit. Joyce came up to meet him by the door, this time. Gave him a hug and ushered him into the kitchen, where she’d set the table for two, and called El in to join them.

A couple of minutes later, Steve walked up to the window and pulled the curtains aside to look out. Frowning, he opened the door and went outside, only to come back in a minute later, looking distraught.

“Hop”, he said. “Where’s Billy?”

Hopper swallowed the mouthful of potatoes he was chewing before answering. “He … went for a walk.”

That made Steve frown. “A _walk_?” Then his face fell with realization. “What did you say to him?”

“Just, uh”, Hopper floundered, gesturing with his fork and refusing to look anyone in the eye. “We just discussed the … You know, you being a good kid and how I – uh, _we_ – don’t want you getting hurt, and –“

Steve let out a groan, and Hopper turned to Joyce to say, under his breath, “Why is everyone groaning at me today?”

“ _Fuck_ ”, Steve said, loudly.

“Hey, language.”

“He didn’t even want to come”, Steve said and ran a hand though his hair, anxiously. The kids had stopped what they were doing when they heard him curse, and were listening with rapt attention. “He said everyone would hate him, and I said that no, you wouldn’t, you’d just need a little time to wrap your heads around – _Fuck!_ ”

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Joyce said, standing up.

Steve gestured behind him, at the kids, and exclaimed, “I’ll tell you what’s wrong!” He ran his hand through his hair again, pulling a little this time. “I had to _convince_ him to come here, and he wanted to make a good impression. And, like, the first thing that happens is that the shitheads –“

“Hey!”

“– _shitheads_ here ambush him before he even got _inside_ , and they tell him that he’s unworthy, and that he’ll mess up, and, and … and they threaten him! Fuck”, and he turned to the kids to glare at them, “And _really,_ guys?” He didn’t give them a chance to reply, instead he barreled on. “And now _you_ , Hop? After you said _to my face_ , just now, that it’s none of your business?”

“Um, I –” Everyone turned when Nancy spoke, and she snapped her mouth shut and hid a wince at the sudden attention. Steve’s face twisted into something not unlike disappointment.

“Really, Nance? You too? Wow, he must have felt _so welcome_.” His voice was dripping with sarcasm.

“I was just worried about you!”

“That’s none of your business! What’s between me and Billy is not _anyone’s_ business but his and mine.”

“I just don’t want to see you get hurt.”

Steve actually took a step back, eyebrows raised and blinking rapidly in disbelief. “Wow. Okay. Uuuh, for your information, _you’ve_ hurt me more than he _ever_ did, and he gave me a _concussion_.”

Nancy opened her mouth to speak, but Steve held up a hand to stop her. “That’s not the point. I’m over it, Nance, don’t worry. He actually _helped_ me get over it.” A sigh. “I can’t believe you did this.” He turned to the room at large. "I can’t believe any of you did this. _Shit_.”

He walked hurriedly to the chair by the door and started throwing clothes aside.

“What are you doing?” Hopper asked, still sitting by the table with a knife and fork in his hands.

“What does it look like?” Steve murmured, grabbing his jacket and pulling it on. Then he paused, before grabbing another jacket. Billy’s jacket. He held it in his hand and pointed it at the darkness outside the window. “I’m going after my _boyfriend_.”

“You’re not supposed to be alone with him”, Dustin piped up. “He’s on probation!”

Max elbowed him in the ribs while Steve closed his eyes and visibly tried to calm himself down. Eventually he said, too calmly, “Don’t. Not right now.”

Dustin had the good sense to shut up.

Steve shook his head before throwing the door open, but before he left he turned to Joyce and added, as an afterthought, “Thanks for dinner. And for having us.” He pointedly didn’t look at anyone else.

Joyce gave him a sad smile and answered, “Of course, Steve. You – and Billy – are welcome back at any time, you hear me? You’re always welcome here.”

Steve mustered up a smile at that. Small, but genuine. “Thanks. I’ll tell him.”

“You do that, honey.”

And with that, Steve walked out the door and closed it gently behind him. A few people in the room flinched as if he had slammed it shut. Shortly thereafter they heard an engine start, and the sound of a car driving off.


	6. +1 Billy (and Steve)

It took Steve two and a half hours to find Billy, and in that time, Billy had somehow managed to obtain a bottle of cheap whiskey and get drunk. Really, really drunk.

He was sitting on a swing at the playground next to the middle school, and Steve only spotted him by chance because he thought he’d check out the basketball court behind the high school when he drove past and saw movement.

Steve parked his car in a no-parking zone – it was the middle of the night on a weekend, so it wasn’t like that anyone was going to complain about it – and got out. Left his jacket, along with Billy’s, in the car. Walked up to Billy, where he was leaning his head on one of the chains holding the swing.

“Hey.”

Billy grimaced, but didn’t move. “Go ‘way.”

Steve ignored him. “Did you walk here, babe?”

Instead of answering, Billy threw his head back and took a swig from the bottle. He spilled a little down the front of his wrinkled shirt – his best shirt, which had been buttoned up all proper at the Byers’ but which was now open all the way down, despite the chill in the air – and looked down at the stain, laughing humorlessly. “Fuckin’ … pathetic.”

“Babe?” Steve said, reaching out. But Billy drew back, in a tangle of uncoordinated limbs, and fell out of the swing on all fours before stumbling to his feet. Still holding the bottle in one hand, but pointing in Steve’s direction with the other.

“Stay away!” He staggered away from Steve and the playground until he reached the brick wall of the school building, and there, he promptly sat down. Steve followed, but slowly. When he spoke again, his voice was hesitant.

“Listen, I don’t know what they said to you, but they’re wrong.”

Billy laughed again, and in the low light of a distant streetlight, Steve could see the shine in his eyes. “They’re not wrong, Harrington. ‘m pathetic.”

“You’re _not_!”

His vehement denial only caused Billy to screw his eyes shut. “Y’re too … forgiving. Need to leave you alone.” He sniffled, and continued in a small voice, “But I don’ _wanna_ leave you alone.”

Steve gingerly sat down beside him, taking care not to touch. Instead he leaned forward and tried to make Billy look at him. “Good, ‘cause I don’t want you to leave me alone either.”

“Should”, Billy muttered, a little petulant. But then he puffed up his chest and pushed Steve away from him. “I don’t deserve you.”

“Billy …”

“Go away. She said I haft’a leave you alone if I care ‘bout you, and –“ His face fell again. “I really fucking care about you, Steve.”

“I care about you too.” Steve tried reaching out again, but Billy swatted his hand away.

“No! You don’t.”

“I do.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“Well, too bad. Because I do.”

Billy deflated enough that Steve was able to get an arm around his shoulders. Billy struggled half-heartedly but Steve didn’t let go, and eventually Billy just sagged against him. “Like, I _know_ I’m not good ‘nough for you, _shit_. Heard it from fucking _everyone_.” He drew in a wet breath. “If I hurt you again, they’ll skin me alive. Throw my body in the quarry. Make me _hurt_ and then _disappear_.”

“They _said_ that? Billy –“

“Thing is, though!” Billy continued, loud enough that Steve winced. “That they don’t know. They don’t know, that I’d rather throw myself down there … the quarry … than hurt you again. They don’t know, that _you’re_ more likely to hurt _me_ –“

He pushed away again, and the look on his face was pure anguish. “– when you … when you realize what a fuckin’ … _pathetic_ piece of shit I am. And you’re gonna _leave_.” The last word was more of a whine.

Steve held his hands up in front of him. “I’m not gonna leave.”

But Billy just looked sad. “You’re gonna leave, and it’s gonna hurt _so bad_. More than bruises. Or Russians.”

“No, no, Billy –“

A flash of anger in Billy’s eyes stopped him.

“No one’s threatening _you_ , though. No one’s … warning _you_ off. No one’s sayin’ ‘Oh Billy, he’s such a good kid, wouldn’t want him to get _hurt_!’” Billy swung around and pointed at Steve with the hand still holding the bottle. “Well I’ll do it myself!”

He twisted around and put one hand on the ground to keep his balance – Steve didn’t move – and put a finger to Steve’s chest. “I – I may not be a _good kid_ , or, or, _deserve_ you, or whatever … and I don’t have a gun, and I don’t know where to hide a body and –“ A wail. “– _I don’t wanna skin anyone alive_! But if you hurt me …”

He put his hand on the side of Steve’s face, cupping his cheek, way too gentle to be threatening. “If you hurt me, Steve …”

His eyes were full to the brim with tears. Steve’s eyes were shining, too. When Billy saw it, he screwed his eyes shut. “ _Fuck_.” And he hung his head down, and wouldn’t look up even when Steve breathed out his name, softly.

Very quietly, Billy said, “If you hurt me … I’m just gonna let you. Shit.” And he collapsed against Steve, as if his strings had been cut, head against Steve’s shoulder, his face hidden by his hair. “You’re the only good … I’ve got.”

Steve held him up, shaking his head even if Billy couldn’t see him from behind his curls. “Baby. Baby, no. I’m sorry.” He pulled Billy back into a half-embrace and ran his hand over his arm and said, with determination, “I’m not gonna hurt you. I’m not gonna let _anyone_ hurt you. Because if they do, I’m gonna … I’m gonna tear them apart.” Billy sniffled, and Steve hefted him up a bit. “I’m gonna come after anyone who hurts you, with my bat. You just have to say the word, baby. I’ll push them off the edge of the quarry myself. I’ll run them over with my car.”

“… you’ll dent it.”

“I don’t care, I’ll run them over and then back up just so I can run them over again. And then I’ll … I’ll set them on fire. I’ll set them on fire for you, Billy.”

A long time passed before Billy glanced up. “Don’t do that. You’ll burn your hair off.” Steve laughed, which caused the corner of Billy’s mouth to twitch. “Too much hairspray.”

“Billy …” Steve put his hand under Billy’s chin and gently tilted his head up. “It goes for me too. I won’t let me hurt you. Ever. If I did, I’d never forgive myself for it.”

Billy shrugged. “Everyone else would.”

“I don’t give a fuck about everyone else!” Steve said, so harshly that Billy started. Steve put a soothing hand on the back of his neck. “I’m sorry, I just … I don’t care what they think.”

“Yes you do.”

“Not about this. Not about you. I care about _you_ , not them.”

Billy leaned his forehead against Steve’s. “Care ‘bout you too.”

Rubbing his hand against Billy’s back, Steve smiled. “It’s cold out here, and you left without your jacket, you jackass.”

“Hah”, Billy muttered. “Jacket-less ass.”

Steve gave Billy’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze before leaning in and placing a light kiss on his cheek, just below his eye. “Will you come home with me?”

Billy sighed, then nodded. “I’ll follow you everywhere. You know that.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did season 3 happen already? Probably. Did it happen the way it did in canon? No. What happened then? I have no idea, and I don't care. Schhh, don't think about that. Just take this fic for what it is. Don't worry about it.

**Author's Note:**

> Unbeta'd.
> 
> I have nothing to say for myself. I was inspired by a stray scene in mampysou's "Tattoo for two" fic (chapter 7) to write a fic about shovel talks, and I was disapointed when I realized that basically no one would give a shovel talk on behalf of Billy, and thus this was born and now I'm sad.
> 
> (For peterqpan, who wasn't fishing for fics but who got one anyway :p)


End file.
